Tumult
by R. E. Lyngard
Summary: BETA Mountain receives an anonymous call for assistance. A planet is experiencing massive seismic activity of unknown orgins, possibly a military weapon. As the Series 5 Team responds, they are plagued with mechanical problems of their own.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**0300 – BetaMountain SecStaff Quarters**

**135 - 2105**

Gasping for air, Niko sat straight up in her bed. Her bedclothes were drenched from sweat as were the sheets of her bed.

"Lights." She ordered breathlessly.

Full voltage light flooded from the recessed fixtures above her bed as well as from the dressing area. Temporarily blinded by the sudden brilliance, she amended her former order. "Lights, 30 percent." The lights immediately dimmed to a friendlier, early morning cadence.

Still glassy-eyed from the earlier glare, Niko looked around her room, half-expecting to find…

W_hat? _She asked herself as she lowered her head to her drawn up knees and sighed. The images, _or feelings, really, _were fading beyond her recall. Slowly, she pushed her damp hair off her face and neck and took a calming breath.

Not trusting her legs to fully support her, Niko gingerly slid off the bed. She was shaky on her feet as she made her way to the lavatory. Splashing cool water onto her heated face, she looked up at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were the color of lilacs at dawn.

Although surprised by her eye hue, she was not too distracted to catch the faint aura of psychokinetic energy still burning a chaotic path through her living quarters. Spinning abruptly from her reflection, Niko raised a mental shield fully expecting to be engulfed by a psychic onslaught.

_Nothing._

Still keeping a defenders stance, Niko once again looked around her. The energy field she had seen was gone, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary - with the exception of her eyes.

Niko turned to face her reflection once more. This time familiar blue-green eyes stared back at her. _Did I imagine it all?_ Keyed up from her abrupt waking and from nightmare fragments, was it possible that she skewed reality and dream state? Shaking her head, Niko moved to the small shower unit.

Half an hour later with clean linens and a hot cup of herbal tea, a vanilla scented Niko sank back into the cushions of her bed. Knowing that sleep would be elusive, she opted for a light meditative trance for the few remaining hours prior to going on duty

**2100 – BetaMountain SecStaff Quarters**

**147 - 2105**

Niko key palmed the lock to her apartment and practically slid into the closest chair. What a few days she had had. She and Doc had just returned from an assignment, finding the kidnapped, teenage daughter of the Senator to Nebraska.

------------------

After two days of following a bogus trail, Niko and Doc had intercepted a lead sending them to what was left of a week-long rave on one of the asteroids circling Tortuna. Niko smiled as she remembered Doc trying to sweet talk his way past the bouncer, who had already motioned her inside, but Doc apparently had not met the "party-profile" of the club's owners.

_Who knew Doc had those dance moves? Another of Miss Abercrombie's Charm School talents, perhaps?_

Once inside, it hadn't taken long for one of Doc's tweaker programs to get a fix on the senator's daughter. Getting to her had proven more difficult as the club was packed well past fire code regulations. The mob of teens on the dance floor had been quite difficult to maneuver through and even shouting to be heard above the cacophony of music made little impact on the rave-crazed throng.

Luckily, the senator's daughter had chosen that moment to visit the ladies room, where Niko had been able to confront the young woman on her elaborately staged kidnapping.

Unfortunately, a confrontation had actually ensued. As Niko identified herself as a Galaxy Ranger to the girl, a drug deal was concluding in one of the bathroom stalls behind them. In seconds, the whole room was bathed in a stream of gunfire as the dealers, believing they were being busted, attempted to shoot their way out. Niko was able to shield herself and the senator's daughter from the majority of the shots; however, the daughter had been grazed in the crossfire.

Doc hearing the commotion, even over the ear-splitting music, exploded into the room with guns drawn. Several minutes passed as the rangers exchanged fire with the drug dealers. When the firefight was over, two dealers lay stunned and one had managed to flee out the back window.

Leaving the two criminals in the hands of the sector authorities, as well as a complete visual description of the one on the run, Niko and Doc took the senator's daughter into custody and returned to Beta.

Unfortunately that had not been the end of the event for Doc and Niko. Upon their arrival, Commander Walsh, under pressure from the Senator from Nebraska, had demanded a full report on the incidents that led to the injury of the daughter a prominent political figure.

------------------

At 1900 hours, Niko and Doc had sequestered themselves into the office the Series 5 Team used while on base. Fortified with a carafe of coffee, they began preparing their report. Doc, already anticipating that he and Niko would be required to submit a report before going off-duty, had constructed a computer program to incorporate the general information that they had already compiled during their mission.

"We should be out of here in a matter of minutes." Doc smiled broadly as he launched the program. "See, Niko, the doctor is always in."

Niko peered over his shoulder and frowned. "Okay, doctor, then what is that?" She asked pointing to the computer screen.

Flashing in alternating green and blue were what appeared to be ingredients and directions for baking different Kiwi pastries.

"What the…" Doc immediately started hitting keys on the keyboard. "I don't believe this."

"Where is the report?" Niko asked.

"It's…it's not here. But, that is impossible."

"Apparently not." Niko muttered under her breath and massaged the base of her neck where the beginnings of a headache were starting to throb steadily.

"I can fix this, just give me a minute. Ah-ha, here we go." Doc pointed to a line of the report embedded in the recipes. After few more minutes, he created another program to pull just the original report. "There."

Niko looked at the now almost completed report and smiled. "I was really getting worried there."

"Now, Niko, you should know better than to question the doctor."

"What happened, Doc?"

Doc's smiled faded as he looked back at the computer. "That, I'm not so sure about. It seems that these recipes from Zozo corrupted the program I generated back on Ranger One. Basically, it generated a report incorporating our data with the pastries. Takes good to the last byte to a whole new level though"

Niko ruefully shook her head at Doc. "Getting back to the issue at hand Doc, what caused it to merge the two documents?"

"I don't know. But it certainly makes interesting food for thought, doesn't it?"

------------------


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**0625 – BetaMountain SecStaff Quarters**

**148 - 2105**

The trill of Niko's vidcom startled her from her chair. Glancing at the chronometer on the wall, she was surprised to find it reading 0630. Scrubbing hands across her face, she answered the comm, enabling audio-only.

"I know that you're scheduled to have time off today, Niko." The voice of Captain Zachary Fox greeted her with an apologetic tone. "But, the Series 5 Team has been ordered to report to Commander Walsh at 0700."

_So much for opening day for the new art and archeological exhibit in New Phoenix today_, Niko thought. "Right, Captain, I'll be there shortly."

------------------

Niko was closing the door to her apartment when she heard the familiar voice of Doc Hartford behind her.

"Hey there, Niko. I see that you received the good morning greeting from our Captain." Doc greeted her as he and Shane Gooseman approached.

"Duty calls." Niko replied and fell in step with the two men as the rangers headed toward Commander Walsh's office for the early morning briefing.

"Duty always seems to be calling." Shane Gooseman agreed still looking fairly perturbed at the duty order from his captain. He too had had time off scheduled and had been looking forward to a long promised swim with the dolphins, Icarus and Winter.

"Cheer up, my Gooseman, if nothing else, I'm sure that you'll get a little target practice during this mission."

Shane gave Doc the beginnings of a grin. "You know what, Doc, you may be right."

Niko just shook her head at the two men and cued the elevator to take them to the Commander's office. "You had time off scheduled for today as well, didn't you, Shane?"

Goose nodded and sighed. "I promised the dolphins a swim. Looks like that's not going to happen."

"They'll understand. You'll just have to schedule a longer visit to make it up to them." Niko consoled.

Doc opened the main door to the Commander's office and held it for his fellow rangers to enter into the antechamber. Inside stood Zachary Fox, Captain of the Series 5 Ranger Team.

"Good morning, Captain."

Zach turned at the sound of the door opening and returned the greeting to his team. "Niko, Doc, Gooseman, right on time."

"Any idea what this is about, Captain?"

"So far, you all know as much as I do, Goose. Commander Walsh summoned me this morning with a request to have the Team ready to report for emergency duty, which is why all of your leaves have been cancelled."

"You don't think this has anything to do with the Nebraska phony kidnapping thing, do you?" Doc asked starting to worry about the political repercussions of the injured runaway.

"I can't say for sure, but I read Niko's and your report, Doc. Everything was in order and by the book. I'd be surprised if this were related."

The team wasn't given any more time to speculate as the commander's secretary opened the interior door to the Commander's office and motioned for them to enter.

As the Series 5 Team entered the private office of Commander Joseph Walsh, a distinguished gentleman with a military air rose from his seat behind the expansive desk centered in the room. Once his secretary closed the door behind the assembled rangers, he spoke. "Greetings Captain Fox. Thank you for assembling your team in such a timely fashion."

"Commander." Captain Fox returned the greeting. "You indicated that time was of the essence."

"Indeed I did." Commander Walsh answered and moved back to a seated position behind his desk. "It seems that Beta has received an urgent call for assistance from the mining colony on Arkansas2. But, I think it would be more effective for you to hear the transmission." Commander Walsh cued the message on his vidcom.

Lines of static were broken by blurry images of a technician's face and what appeared to be smoking rubble behind him. "I repeat, this is Sherman Andrews, primary communications representative of Metallurgy Conglomerations on Arkansas2…" More static filled the screen and blanked all but garbled audio. "…………reports that planetary climatology…………unstable field…………destroyed along with 5…………requesting assistance to aid…………military action may be…………"

The commander turned to watch the Series 5 team's reaction to the communication. "That's all we have. According to intelligence in the sector, at 0420 the planet of Arkansas2 had a massive planetary quake. The cause of the quake has been undefined. All the scientist agree that nothing in the planet's climate or history would have caused this kind of incidence to occur. The prevailing theory is that the causing agent of the quake was precipitated from outside the planet."

"Outside the planet? As in man-made?" Doc asked still looking at the screen full of static.

"Perhaps." Answered the commander. "Arkansas2 is continuing to experience aftershocks that appear to be of a magnitude greater than the initial quake. Preliminary data indicates that if these aftershocks continue, the planet's orbit will degrade."

"Rangers, I'm sending you on a two-fold mission. The first priority is to oversee the evacuation of the mining city on the eastern hemisphere. Arkansas2 was never very hospitable prior to these quakes, but the metal ore resources are incomparable. The settlement has roughly two thousand people and about half as much livestock and cyberstock. Secondly, in addition to any aid you may render, I want to know what or who caused this destruction. And, I want to know why."

"Understood, Commander." Zachary Fox saluted and led his team out of the Commander's office.

"Okay, people, we have one hour until departure. Q-ball is installing the portable recharging unit into Ranger One as we speak. It hasn't been field tested so this is as good a time as any. Make sure that your badges are charged before we leave and that all field equipment is in working order. The cybersteeds are being prepped and loaded as well. Report to docking bay 7 at 0830."

"Aye, captain." Responded the rest of the Series 5 Team as they headed in various directions to accomplish their directives.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**1800 – Arkansas2**

**150 – 2105**

"Zach, Goose!" Niko shouted in warning as the ground trembled from another quake.

The entrance to the mining cave where both Zachary and Gooseman were standing slowly started to give way to masses of dirt and rocks from the hill above. Both men moved of one accord, attempting to stave off the literal mountain of debris raining around them as well as protect the civilian miners.

Goose fingered his badge as large boulders rained down amidst the group. On impact with one of the rocks, his bio-defenses reacted by turning his skin into a substance resembling granite. He was able to use this transformation to shield as many of the miners as he could, literally, with his body. Meanwhile Zachary was using his bionic arm to smash as many of the larger rocks as he could. However, both men were so busy trying to protect the civilians, that there would be precious little time for Zachary to use his implant and bionics to power up and drive the boulders back.

"Doc, I need you!" Niko yelled, and without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his hand and slapped it to her shoulder. At the same time, she moved to trigger her badge. A golden aura engulfed their figures as Niko guided an energy field around the mouth of the mineshaft holding Goose, Zach and the miners. Slowly, Niko broadened the span of the shield to push back against the rockslide - slowing it and ultimately suspending it in midair.

Goose looked out through the dusty golden haze and saw Niko and Doc several feet from the landslide's point of orgin. "Zach, Niko is buying us time, but she can't hold it much longer." Already Goose could see Niko staggering from the exertion of maintaining a psychic force shield against mass and gravity, as more and more of the hill collapsed in upon itself and against her psychokinetic buffer.

"It's enough." Captain Foxx carefully flexed his bionic arm to harness the energy that his implant triggered. Within seconds, the arm began to glow as it reached its terminal point. Aiming carefully, Zachary unleashed the power in the form of a bolt of energy directly up into the hail of falling rubble, pulverizing it into fine dust and plowing a trench directly through the rest of the hill.

Niko fell to her knees as the shockwave of Zachary's thunderbolt slammed against her psychic defenses and shattered her projected shield. Only Doc's strong grip on her shoulder prevented her from full collapse.

"You okay, Niko?" Doc asked feeling disoriented himself from the psychic rapport that came when Niko's powers created a merge of implant power.

Niko could do little more than nod her head in response. She was panting too hard to have the breath to answer, and she was already warding off the psychic backlash that came from the effort she had poured into protecting Zach, Goose, and the miners.

After making sure that the mine was in no more immediate danger of collapse, Zachary and Goose made their way to their comrades. "You all right, Niko?" Zach asked.

Finding her voice Niko answered, "Yes, Captain," and accepted the hand that Goose offered to pull her to her feet. She stumbled slightly and Goose carefully positioned himself so that he was unobtrusively supporting the majority of her weight. "It's a good thing you used your thunderbolt when you did, I don't think I could have held back that avalanche much longer."

"If you hadn't acted as quickly as you did, I wouldn't have had the time to charge up."

Niko just nodded and closed her eyes for a minute. The headache that often came with backlash was starting to increase in tempo making it hard to concentrate.

"Niko, you still with us."

Niko's eyes snapped open as she looked at her captain. "Yes, sir."

"What's your implant charge?" Zach asked her again noticing the greenish cast to her complexion

Niko lightly brushed her badge to get a general feel of how much power remained. Sighing, she answered. "There isn't much left; probably not enough to do much good in an emergency." She admitted.

"Goose, you and Niko return to base."

"Captain," Niko protested, "Goose is needed here. I can make it to camp by myself."

"I'm not questioning whether or not you can take care of yourself, Ranger. Given the recent events, I need you both to recharge your implants. After you've had a chance to rest and eat, you are to report back here to relieve Doc and myself. These quakes have a mechanical origin, and we are not going to stop until we find out who or what is behind them. I'll see you at 2100 hours." Zachary's tone of voice brooked no argument.

"Aye, sir." Niko and Goose said in unison and headed in the general direction of the small mining site where they had reined in their cybersteeds.

Halfway to the encampment, Niko felt and then heard another shockwave explosion, this one a hundred meters from where the previous one had occurred. Goose and Niko reacted immediately and started toward the site of the secondary explosion. However, before they had taken more than a few steps, the earth beneath their feet buckled again as another blast erupted from a different location, this one much closer to the pair.

Goose stumbled backward into Niko, and they both fell to their knees. "Goose, the horses!" Niko pointed to the area that had held their rations and cybersteeds. A large hole had cratered in the earth, and the surrounding land was being swallowed by the sinkhole that had formed.

Through the smoke, ash, and debris, Goose could barely see Triton and the other horses attempting to flee. However, their reins were still fastened to a post, which was beginning to slide into the newly formed chasm. Shane pulled himself to his feet and with a running start leapt across the fractured ground. Landing hard on the other side, he continued his momentum in a roll to the horses.

The ground continued to lurch and sway as it broke in on itself and rolled into the growing depression. Knowing he did not have the time to untangle the harnesses, Goose took his blaster from its holster and opened fire slicing through the electro-leather straps securing the horses to the pole.

Now free, the horses broke for safer ground. Shane grabbed Triton's frayed reins and pulled himself into the saddle. "We're going to have to jump for it." Triton gave the mechanical equivalent of a whinny and vaulted in the air leading the pack of cybersteeds in a jump across the fissure.

Niko watched as the four horses and Shane catapulted into the air. Just as they were landing safely on the other side a fourth quake ripped across the ground, and what was once safe a foothold became a precarious landslide. Niko watched horrified as the group struggled unsuccessfully for purchase in the abrading hillside.

Even though she was on her feet and sprinting to help, Niko was too far away to lend any physical assistance. Reaching out, Niko channeled what was left of her energy and unleashed a psychokinetic net around the five figures. With the last vestige of implant power, she yanked the group to safer ground.

Only Shane's incredibly strong grip on Triton kept him in the saddle as they jarred to a less than graceful stop. Breathing hard, he looked back at the nothingness that had once been terra firma. Had Niko not reacted when she did, they would have plummeted to an uncertain end. Shane looked back to where Niko had been and saw her lying prone on the ground.

Biting back a string of curses, he rushed to her side. Gently, he flipped her to her back. "Niko? Can you hear me?"

"Shane?" Niko gasped as her eyes fluttered open.

"Some magic trick." He smiled down at her. "Didn't think you had any juice left."

"Neither did I." She admitted pulling herself into a seated position. "But, I can guarantee that I don't have any now."


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**1845 – Arkansas2**

**150 – 2105**

Captain Zachary Foxx had just finished directing the few remaining miners to clean up tasks when the earth shook again. "Dammit, not again." He growled using a fractured roofing support beam to keep him on his feet. "Doc, you getting a location?"

"Already on it." Ranger Walter Hartford answered as he pulled out his CDU. "C'mon Pathfinder, up and at'em."

The telltale sparkle of the tweaker came to life. "Got your preliminary numbers right here, Doc." Reported the little program as data uploaded into Doc's handheld computer.

"Captain, there appears to have been one major earthquake followed by three distinct aftershocks. The coordinates form a trajectory across the planet with the main mining settlement at the heart of it."

Zachary moved next to Doc in order to see the pattern of tectonic activity displayed. The screen was dotted with red hash marks depicting the mass wasting of the planet from the past few days. Although there appeared no exact rhyme or reason to the activity, the main mining city was indeed central to all of the chaos.

Zachary ran a hand wearily across his face leaving a trail of sweat and dust. They had discussed making arrangements for the evacuation of the planet since they arrived, but the mayor of the town, who was also the Vice President of Ore Acquisition for this sector of Metallurgy Conglomerations, had balked at the idea of abandoning the planet. He had made assurances to them that the city much less the planet was in no danger. "I wonder how he is going to explain these quakes and aftershocks." Zachary muttered to himself. "The planet settling?"

"We had better head back to the city, Doc. We're going to have to get the mayor to agree to an evacuation plan."

"I agree, Captain. If the earth continues to shake, rattle, and roll, there is no way that the settlement's power grid will remain unaffected. Current data indicates that even if we experience no more seismic activity, there is a 32 percent chance that the atmospheric dome will shatter."

_Captain. _Zachary's wrist comm announced followed by a static filled image of Shane Gooseman.

"Go ahead."

_Niko and I have been detained, sir._

"Report, Gooseman."

_The last aftershock caused a sinkhole to form separating us from the horses. The area surrounding the horses and us dropped approximately 90 meters in upon itself._

"Casualties?"

_No sir. We were able to retrieve the horses. The extra field rations and medical kit were not so lucky._

"Understood." Zachary knew Goose was deliberately being succinct. He had his own suspicions as to exactly how the events unfolded. "Take the horses and return to base camp. Doc and I are on our way to the city to see the mayor as well. We'll still regroup at 2100.

_Aye, Captain._

"And, Goose."

_Yes, sir?_

"Make sure that both you and Niko recharge. Given the terrain, we're likely to need it."

_Understood, sir. Gooseman out._

Captain Foxx looked over the fractured remains of the mine opening and shook his head. The terrain had indeed become treacherous. It was unclear when or where the next tremor would occur. But the political terrain was just as unsteady.

"Paul." Zachary shouted to be heard over a mining excavator. The foreman wearing an orange hat motioned to the driver to continue clearing the remains of the entrance to the mine and then walked over to the Ranger Captain.

"Captain Foxx." The man replied wiping his brow with a bandana and shoving it into the back pocket of his work jumpsuit.

"Ranger Hartford and I need a lift to town. Think you can spare a hover truck?"

"I can do you one better. Shift change happens in a few minutes. I can drive you there myself. Not that second shift will be able to do much today." Paul looked at the mess of rubble and shook his head. "We were really counting on this one, too."

"At this point," Captain Foxx replied, "I think you were lucky. We'll take you up on your offer though."

------------------

Gooseman and Niko ate in silence looking out the small window of a rundown cabin that the rangers had made their base of operations. From here, beyond the hydroponics buildings, one could just see the atmospheric dome that encased the mining settlement.

While Arkansas2 was rich in precious metals, it was not habitable, at least not without artificial assistance. It was a small planetoid or probably asteroid would be a better description, somewhere between the size of Earth and Earth's moon. In addition, it was in a complex orbit around a black hole that somehow provided light through the superheated gases being pulled into the accretion disk. There was neither atmosphere nor water to be found naturally on the rock, but Metallurgy Conglomerations provided everything that the miners and their families would need at least while the mines were prosperous. And, the mines had indeed been prosperous so much that other areas had been terra-formed for life outside of the mines creating a mini city with housing, shopping, and even some entertainment.

Finishing the last of her rations, Niko leaned back against the wooden backed chair and closed her eyes. She was starting to feel the physical effects of the day now that the psychic ones had faded. She heard the creak of the chair across from her and looked into the blue eyes of her companion.

"Just like Mom used to make." Shane nodded and pushed his empty wrapper away.

Niko grimaced and shook her head. "I think, you're spending too much time with Doc. You're starting to sound like him."

Gooseman said nothing to defend himself but stood and stretched. "You ready to get Q-Ball's recharger up and running?"

Niko could think of a thousand other things she would rather be doing, sleeping and taking a hot shower topped the list but nodded to Shane instead. While Goose handled the unloading and setting up of the recharger, Niko unpacked and fueled the generator for the device.

"You sure about this?" Gooseman asked as he watched Niko pull two wires from the recharger and place them into the receptacles of her badge.

"I've done this before, Shane." Nike snapped irritably.

"I'm not questioning your competency, Niko."

Niko looked up into Gooseman's face at his sharp response. "No, I guess, you're not." She admitted. "Let's just get on with it. Doc and I used this unit's precursor on our last mission. If it anything like is predecessor, it will feel very different from the main recharge unit at Beta. It will also not offer a true full recharge. But, it will do the job. Is the generator on?"

Gooseman nodded his reply. He still couldn't help but feel like there was more going on with Niko. Of late, and not just on this mission, she had been different – distracted…defensive.

Niko finished attaching the wires to her badge and looked up. "Okay, I'm going to initialize. You should probably stand back. Sometimes the energy surges around me while charging."

Shane took a step back and waited. Niko smiled slightly at him and triggered her badge. Instantly the generator started to whine as it provided power to the recharger. Energy in the form of glowing light started to radiate within and then through Niko's body. For anyone watching, anyone other than a super trooper, the brilliance would have been blinding. As she had predicted, cascading currents of excess energy seemed to flow all around her body causing her hair to fly upward as if it were blown on a thermal of air.

Niko's finger released the trigger to her badge. The energy immediately fell away, and Niko was left standing as if nothing had happened. Slowly, she disconnected the wires and held them to Shane.

"Well," he said taking the wires. "That was impressive."

Niko looked up at him with a small smile playing on her lips. "One day, I'll tell you what happened to Doc when he didn't take the prerequisite step back."

"Niko." Shane grabbed her shoulder.

"What!" She yelped catching his arm before she fell against him and then pushing away from him just as quickly.

"Your eyes."

"My what?"

"Your eyes."

Niko knew Shane Gooseman well enough to know that he was not about to wax poetic about her eyes. "What about them?" She asked quickly moving to the small water closet off of the kitchenette.

"Oh," she murmured, as she looked at herself in the small mirror above the lavatory. Once again her eyes were the color of lilacs at dawn. "It's a side-effect."

"Side-effect?" Shane repeated.

"Yeah. Don't worry, they'll return to their normal color in a little while."

"This has happened before?"

"To me? Yeah. Doc? No."

"Did Doc experience any of these – side-effects?"

"You'll have to ask Doc."

"Niko." Her name was a slight growl of warning on his lips.

"I've been sworn to secrecy. Shane."

Goose finished attaching the wires to his badge and watched as Niko took several steps back. As she had promised, her eyes were slowly darkening to their normal shade. . "I wonder what kind of side-effects a super trooper will have." Goose muttered softly as he triggered his badge.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**2030 – Arkansas2**

**150 – 2105**

"You're kidding, right? Tell me you're kidding."

"I'm not kidding, Doc. I wish I were," answered the Series 5 Ranger Captain, Zachary Foxx. "The mayor is not in his office; he's not at home. He is attending a private party for a play opening tonight."

"We're in the middle of a planetary disaster, and the mayor is attending a play?" Ranger Hartford's incredulity rang through his words.

Zachary nodded with little emphasis. He too was having trouble making heads or tails of the mayor. Given the current state of affairs, he was expecting the man to be meeting with heads of security and science to get to the bottom of what was happening to the planet not for him to be attending a private entertainment function. "That's what his personal assistant finally told me."

Doc shook his head in disbelief again. "So, now what?"

"We head to camp. We need to recharge both literally and figuratively."

Doc looked around the deserted street. "I guess that means we hoof it, huh?"

"You guess correctly."

As Zachary and Doc walked toward base camp, Doc was immediately reminded of food from a small grumble in his stomach. It had been quite awhile since he had eaten, if quick energy field rations could be considered food. He spied the lights of a general store announcing the welcoming phrase "Open."

"So, um, Cap, what do you say we do a little reconnaissance?"

Zachary looked in the direction that Doc was indicating. "Reconnaissance? Or R & R?"

"Well, we have yet to come across anyone willing to talk to us about the quakes, at least with the miners, perhaps a store owner might be more forthcoming."

"Especially, if we are paying customers?"

"Ooh, Captain, it is like you are reading my mind."

"Not a place I really want to frequent, Doc." Zachary retorted good-naturedly and led the way up the one step into the establishment.

A small bell chimed cheerily announcing their presence. The shopkeeper, a woman as tall as she was rotund, looked up from a magazine she was reading. "Howdy, gents." She greeted them warmly. "You from the mining transport that arrived this morning?"

"Something like that." Captain Foxx agreed and walked to the counter while Doc started scouring the aisles for food sundries. "Quite a lot of excitement today, huh."

"Yep," replied the woman, folding the corner of the page of the magazine to keep her place and setting it next to her on the counter. "We've been having plenty of excitement lately."

"You mean all that shaking is a common thing around here?"

"Those mines need lots of dynamite to loosen the ore. Sometimes feels like the whole shop is going to up and tumble over."

Noting the magazine was of tabloid popularity, Zachary leaned in close to the woman and whispered conspiratorially. "I heard through the grapevine that not all of the rumbles come from the dynamite."

"That so?"

"Yeah. Some people think that there might be more going on in those mines then what they're telling folks."

"You know," the woman dropped her voice to match the captain's. "I seem to recall Reverend Lawrence saying that the mining establishment was doing the devil's work. He thought there might be something else going on too."

"Really, you don't say."

"Yep. Said that they'd best watch themselves. Ore that good ain't natural."

"You know, I'd like to talk to the good Reverend. Any idea where I might find him?"

"Oh, Lordy no!" The woman stood straighter and did some kind of cross around her body. "Reverend Lawrence was found deader than a doornail in the chapel less than a week ago."

Ranger Hartford returned to the counter laden with various foodstuffs. He had been eavesdropping the entire time that the captain had been conversing with the woman. "He's dead?"

"Oh, yes siree-bob. It was quite a surprise." The grocer continued as she started tabulating the bill. "Poor little Amanda, she's the youngest of the O'Brien girls. Walked in to go over some last minute wedding plans. Found him herself – she did. You could hear her screams all up and down the street."

"Sarah Jamison!" A voice full of outraged authority called out just as the bell to the store rang again.

Surprised, the storeowner looked up into the face of the local deputy. "Uh-oh," she whispered to her to confidantes. "That's the other half of the O'Brien wedding party."

"Why Deputy Reeves what brings you by on such a late night." She called out brightly to the newcomer.

"Doing my rounds as always," answered the deputy as he walked further into the store. "I see you've made the acquaintance of Captain Foxx of the Galaxy Rangers."

"Busted," Doc sighed to Zachary.

"Galaxy Rangers! You didn't say you were Galaxy Rangers. You said you were new miners from the ship that arrived today." The shopkeeper accused.

"Actually, ma'am, you're the one who said we were miners." Captain Foxx answered diplomatically. "We are Galaxy Rangers from BETA Mountain. I'm Captain Zachary Foxx, and this is Ranger Walter Hartford."

"Pleasure." Doc returned giving his most charming smile.

Sarah returned a forced smile. "Uh, likewise." She handed him a slip of paper and began to bag his purchases. "Here's your bill."

"Deputy Reeves." Captain Foxx greeted the man whom he had met a few days earlier.

"Foxx. What brings you to one of our fine establishments so late?"

Zachary looked at the man and not for the first time wondered if he were legitimate or in someone else's pocket. "Just a little run for supplies."

"I told you that we could handle the law enforcement of our fair city. We don't need no outsiders butting in."

Zachary raised his hands in a gesture of 'take it easy' and turned to help Doc with one of the bags. "Like I said, Deputy, just getting a few supplies. Ms. Jamison, thanks for your help and hospitality. Have a good night."

"G'night, Captain, Ranger Hartford." Sarah replied and turned back to the deputy. "So what can I do for you?"

Once they had made there way a few blocks from the general store, Doc asked, "So, what do you think about the preacher?"

"Well, certainly seemed peculiar that he died after saying something was up at the mine. I wish that we had gotten more details though. Was it natural causes or murder?"

"Think we'll have a chance to go back and ask Sarah?"

Zachary looked back in the direction of the store. "I have a feeling that when Deputy Reeves is finished with Ms. Jamison, we won't find her nearly so helpful or friendly."

------------------

Reclining with his feet up on an opposite chair, Shane Gooseman rested facing the only entrance of the little shack the rangers had dubbed their base of operations. Hearing footsteps outside, he opened one eye and nonchalantly gathered his gun into his right hand.

Ranger Hartford was the first to enter the building and wasn't surprised to find Gooseman lowering his pistol. "Gooseman!" he greeted cheerily.

Shane raised a finger to his lips in warning, but it was already too late. A sleeping Niko raised her head from the table and blinked at the returning rangers. "Captain, Doc." She greeted stifling a yawn behind the back of her hand and slowly stretching.

Doc Hartford reached into the bag he was carrying and tossed a wrapped package to Niko. "Sorry 'bout the wakeup call, but I come bearing gifts."

Niko deftly caught the package and looked at it hopefully. "Is this what I think it is?" She asked eagerly as she tore open the foil.

"Indeed it is!" smiled Doc.

"Doc, I could kiss you!"

"Please do!"

At a small grumble from Gooseman, Doc tossed him a package as well. "Don't worry Goose, I didn't forget you."

The pleasant aroma that greeted Shane's nose caused him to grin as well. "Doc," he grinned, "I could just kiss you."

Doc made a face. "Please do _not!_" He moved closer to the super trooper. "Is it my imagination, my Gooseman, or do you look more lupine than usual?"

Niko snickered around a mouthful of Kirwin's version of a chocolate bar. "Quiet, Violet." Gooseman warned.

A knowing smile broke across Doc's face. "Ah ha! You've recharged," he chuckled.

Gooseman grunted noncommittally and went over to the stove to start a strong brew of coffee from the fresh ground beans that Doc had bought.

"Someone want to tell me what is going on here?" Captain Foxx asked as he watched the exchange among the rangers.

Niko regained her composure first and answered the captain. "The recharger that Q-Ball created is still experimental and has a few minor glitches." She ignored the incredulous snort issued from the stove area and continued. "Upon recharging, some lingering effects occur."

Foxx sat down at the table ignoring his own bag of provisions. "What kind of effects exactly?"

"Well, um, my eyes change color."

"They do?"

"Yeah, a sort of purple actually."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad."

"It's not, but…" Niko's attempt to remain poised was slowly unraveling. "But, everyone appears to have different things happen."

"Different?" The captain waited for a response, but Niko just shook her head.

"Gooseman?" he asked.

Shane glared at Doc who was still chuckling next to him and then to Niko who was trying to keep her amusement contained. "Apparently, I resembled a wolf." he admitted.

"A wolf?"

"Yes." Gooseman refused to explain further.

Zachary looked up to Niko. "Wolf? As in canine, fur, pointy ears?"

"And, don't forget the tail," chimed in Doc. He had already spied a used needle and thread lying next to a pair of Gooseman's uniform pants. "There must have been a tail. Am I right?"

"And, sharp teeth." Gooseman added in what sounded more like a feral growl than a statement.

"I see that my groceries were a success," Doc said changing topics before Goose did more than snarl at him.

"Indeed." Foxx agreed as he pulled out a few cans and some jerky. His last quick ration energy bar had been less than satisfying. "We've got enough if you all would like seconds."

Niko popped the last piece of her candy bar into her mouth and shook her head. "None for me, Captain. But, I'd be more than happy to get things started here if you and Doc want to get the recharging out of the way."

"Given your and Goose's stories, I can hardly wait." Zachary grimaced but left the food with her. "Coming, Doc?"

Doc's face fell at the mention of recharging. "Uh oh. Uh, Zack, I'm not so sure that is such a great idea."

"That wasn't a question, Doc. It was an order."

"Yes sir." Ranger Hartford replied with no enthusiasm and followed his captain into the other room where the generator and recharger were stationed.

------------------

"I'm going to kill Q-Ball!" Zachary announced for the fifth time in less than two minutes.

"What?" yelled Doc.

"I said, 'I'm going to kill Q-Ball.'"

"Not if I get to him first." Shane Gooseman contended from his perch on the kitchen table.

"What?" Doc yelled again.

"Nevermind." Niko yelled back to him. "Doc, you're going to have to move to the other room. We can't hear a thing."

"Fine. Just keep me posted." Doc yelled again as he left the room with his programs circling him.

Just as Niko and Goose had had to endure enhanced side effects of Q-Ball's recharging unit, Zachary and Doc were dealing with their own versions. Unfortunately for all of them, Doc's consequences seemed to affect them all. As soon as he had finished re-energizing, his CDU and all programs had activated simultaneously. Immediately all the programs started an impromptu chorus of "It's a Small World after All." The resulting cacophony of the song sung over and over again in a round robin format made it impossible for anyone to accomplish anything.

"Well, that's a little better." Zachary agreed looking back at the other two rangers. "Where was I?"

"You were just telling us about the contact you made with the grocer." Niko supplied. Even though Doc had left with his concert, she was having a hard time concentrating on Zachary's words. She kept finding herself mesmerized by the eerie glow that his bionics were casting through his skin and clothing since he had recharged. The glow would mellow, pulse, grow brilliant and fade only to start all over again. It was almost hypnotic.

"So," Gooseman drew Niko back into the conversation. "The deputy walked in and that was that?"

"Oh, yes. Deputy Reeves definitely shut down that line of inquiry."

"So, what's our next step?" asked Niko.

"Can I come back in now?" Doc called from the doorway. "The programs are all shut down properly."

"Join the party." Goose invited and dragged a chair out for him.

"Thanks." Doc replied and sat down heavily. "Sorry 'bout that."

"Nothing to apologize for, "soothed Niko. "None of us have any control over the quirks that the recharger throws at us. At least, it wasn't the Ode to the Mothmoose again."

Doc buried his head in his hands. "Don't remind me."

"Next step?" Goose reminded everyone.

"Right," answered the captain. "Given the circumstances and the dire predictions on the dome's infrastructure, we need to act. At first light, we'll go to the mayor's office. We need to have him on board. He needs to understand that a planetary evacuation may be eminent. We also need access to the Science Board. I want to see what data they've been looking at and collecting the past week. Finally, I want more information on the activities of the mine. If the reverend was correct about other things going on – I want to know about it. His speculations may have caused a need to silence him."

"What was it that Sarah said about the preacher's reference to the mining activity. 'Ore that good ain't natural.' What if he was right? What if the ore that is being mined isn't natural at all?"

"What are you suggesting, Doc?" asked Zachary.

"Well, I'm guessing one of two things. Either the ore that is being mined is coming from the planet, perhaps even the core given the seismic activity. Or…"

"The ore isn't being mined at all. It's being made." Niko finished for him.

"Bingo."

"Well, either of those hypotheses could generate public silence." Goose continued the vein of conversation.

"True," Zachary agreed. "The League outlawed core mining several years ago. Whie initially profitable, the mining wreaked havoc with the planet's climate or worse. But, what would they be making that could cause such instability on such a large scale?"

Realization hit all the rangers at the same time. "Starstones," they said in unison.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Can you believe it? An update. To all of you who have been waiting for the next installment, I hope you enjoy. My apologies for taking so long in updating it - life gets in the way sometimes. I'll try and keep a fire under my rear and update more frequently. And, if you get the chance, please review…sometimes it takes the story in all sorts of creative and unexpected directions.  -Thanks again - RL**

**Chapter Five**

**0430 – Arkansas2**

**151 – 2105**

Predawn light began glinting on the UV and X-Ray filtering dome above the mining camp's main settlement as two silhouetted figures darted down an alley next to the general store. The shadows stopped at the back entrance and slunk down next to the door.

"Why are we doing this again?" a voice whispered hoarsely.

"Because of the note you found in your bag," the other voice hissed in return.

"Right. I'm not psychic, Niko, but I can tell you this doesn't feel right." Doc Hartford replied as he pulled out his pistol.

"Well, I am." Niko returned as she too prepared her rifle. "And, I happen to agree with you. This isn't right."

"That does not make me feel any better." Doc grumbled as he prepared to knock on the door. Before he even rapped once, the door slowly swung inward. "It's already open. You want to take point or you want me to?"

Niko answered by hefting her rifle and slowly entering the dark building. As her eyes adjusted to the muted light coming from the doorway and from the lone window facing the alley, she was able to make out rows of boxed and bagged goods. Slowly, she skirted around one side of the rows toward the door that adjoined the stockroom to the general store. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Doc doing the same thing to the other side.

Suddenly her psychic senses seemed to blare, as she could almost taste the aura of danger. "Doc," she breathed in warning and turned to look for her companion.

"Over here, Niko." Doc called back softly and stood up from where he had been crouching down. "We're too late."

Niko sucked a quick breath and walked over to where Doc was standing. There at his feet lay the body of a woman. "Is this Sarah?"

"Yeah. She didn't even have a chance." He sighed. "If I had just found the note a little sooner…"

Niko placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault."

"I guess." Doc's agreement was half-hearted at best as he knelt down beside the body of the grocer. "Single gun shot wound to the head. Looks like a small caliber conventional weapon. Given the spatter on the wall and blood underneath the body, this would be the crime scene."

Niko nodded and slowly scoured the room with her safety light. "No sign of a struggle." She walked over to the stockroom interior door and then to the back door that she and Doc had entered. "No sign of forced entry either. She probably knew her assailant."

"What now?" Doc asked. "Do we alert the local authorities?"

"That would be protocol." Niko agreed. "But given the local authorities and questions Zachary has with the senior deputy, I think we should try one more thing first."

"Like?"

"I could try to see if I can get any more information…"

Absolutely not!" Doc interrupted her. "The Captain and Gooseman would have my head if I let you try any thing of the sort."

"We're running out of time." Niko argued.

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean that you should…"

"Shhh!" Niko warned putting a finger to her lips.

"What?" Doc asked her in a quiet tone.

"I thought I heard something." Niko crept back to the door that joined the stockroom to the rest of the store. She heard the muffled noise of something splashing across the floor. Peering carefully through the peephole, she could just make out a blurry form pouring something on the floor.

"We need to move, Doc!" Niko stage whispered and pulled Doc to the back entrance, the same entrance they had used to enter the establishment.

Doc pulled on the door, but nothing happened. He tried the knob and jiggled it, but the door held fast. "It won't open."

"Let me try."

"Niko, Sarah was murdered in here." Doc warned.

"I'll be careful." Niko promised as she gently triggered her badge. Focusing her mind away from the events that happened in the storeroom, she concentrated on pins of the lock. She carefully played with the locking mechanism and then tested the door itself. Finally, she stepped back from the door and looked at Doc. "It's not locked. I'm not sure what it is, but I can't move it - not the lock not the door."

Niko could just make out the faint scent of smoke and some kind of chemical accelerant. She glanced behind her and saw tendrils of gray floating up from the other door. "Other door is a no go. They set a fire. Probably to conceal the crime scene."

Looking around, Niko grabbed two produce bags, ripped them open, poured the contents onto the floor, and then broke open a container of water. The first few clothes she saturated and shoved under the door to help slow the entrance of the smoke. The next few she also drenched with water and held out one to Doc. "This is only going to buy us a little time."

Niko and Doc rapidly counted their options. The only other way in or out of the storeroom was through the window and neither of them could fit through the small opening.

"Blast our way out?" Doc suggested.

"It's worth a try." Niko agreed and leveled her rifle at the door. A volley of shots rained across the door, but in the end, the door remained standing as an unmoving barrier.

"It's no good." Doc coughed from the fine dust their shots had caused as well as the smoke entering the room. "It must be made of some compound that makes it practically laser proof."

"Call for help," Niko suggested.

Doc thumbed his communicator. After receiving no signal, he looked back at Niko. "Yours working?"

Niko shook her head. "All of the seismic activity has wreaked havoc with the communication systems. All I'm getting is static."

"I know." Doc agreed as he continued to scour the room for an alternate way out. The smoke was starting to thicken as it worked its way past Niko's barrier and started to seep through the walls themselves. He looked back at the door scorched by their weapon fire. It truly was the only way out. "We need a low-tech solution." He said to himself as he ran his hands over the doorframe across the hinges looking for any kind of weakness. "Wait a minute," he stepped back and looked at the door again. "I'm such a techno-snob, sometimes."

"What did you find?" Niko's voice was muffled through her makeshift respirator.

"What if we take the pins out of these hinges? We should be able to simply pull the door off its frame."

"I tried doing that with my telekinesis. It was a no go." Niko sighed.

"Well, if mind over matter doesn't work, how about good 'ole fashioned brawn?" Doc suggested before he started coughing.

"Let's do it. But we better be quick; the smoke is getting bad in here." In fact, all of the items in the room were completely obscured by the dark, thick clouds. "I'll see if I can find something to help pry out the pins."

Niko's eyes were beginning to sting and water from the smoke. Trying to hold her makeshift breathing apparatus in place, she fumbled awkwardly on hands and knees as she searched for something to use as a tool. Inadvertently, her hands brushed across the body of Sarah Jamison.

_Suddenly, Niko stands laughing at a child who twirls in a circle of flouncing white tulle and braids. A jovial gray-haired man puts his arms around her burgeoning waist, one hand resting on a very pregnant belly. Sirens and lights flash off the night sky as a small house engulfed in flames crumbles to the ground. Across the countertop of the grocery store island, an angry man yells at her. A gravestone bearing the dates of a child gone to soon from the world glistens in the dew as sunlight plays across fresh yellow roses. A Crown agent purchases sundries and pays with threats and worthless coins. A shadowed figure meets another figure in the back alley of the store - an exchange is made. The ground rumbles and trembles as she holds onto a storeroom shelf for protection. Cat's eyes glitter yellow with greed and triumph. Loud noises, white light flashes. Death emanations swirl and pull at her -tumbling - life no more._

"Niko, did you find anything yet?" Doc called through his mask and the ever-increasing smoke. "Not to rush you, but…Niko?" The smoke had become too thick to see anything that wasn't inches in front of his face.

Doc crawled on his hands and knees to the area that he had last seen the auburn-haired ranger. "This isn't funny, Niko." Doc's voice held a note of alarm. He continued forward until he fell across the body of Sarah Jamison. In the confusion of the fire and being trapped, he had forgotten all about the grocer. Continuing past the body, he felt another body, this one much more slender and still warm.

"Niko?" At her lack of response, Doc pulled her closer to him. "Niko?" Niko remained lifeless in his arms. "C'mon, Niko, we're really running out of time here. Niko? Hey, pretty lady, can you here me?" Doc heard another loud crash and then crackling as he looked up to where the wall to the stockroom had once been into a wall made entirely of flame.

Avoiding as much of the fire as possible, Doc dragged Niko across the floor to the still locked exit door. He still needed to find something to pull the pins out of the door.

Suddenly, the door imploded swinging brokenly on its hinges. Fresh air leapt into the room and the wall of fire behind him flashed over at the oxygen fuel. A wall of water sprayed to combat the flames poured over the two trapped rangers.

Hands that appeared to be made from some kind of rock reached in and pulled to two rangers from the building.

"Am…I…glad to…see you." Doc announced through a fit of coughs as he stumble-walked further from the fully involved building following a bio-defense engaged Gooseman carrying the unconscious Niko. "A few…more minutes…and Niko and I…would be toast…burnt toast."

Shane Gooseman re-transformed into his human self as he gently laid Niko on the ground a safe distance from the fiery building. "We need a medic over here!" He shouted to the volunteers trying to contain the fire.

"What the hell happened, Doc?" Goose growled as he gently brushed an errant tendril of hair from Niko's soot streaked cheek.

Doc looked quickly from Niko to Gooseman to his Captain. He was trying hard not to take the accusing tone in Goose's tone personally. A man identifying himself as a medic quickly knelt down next to Niko and began checking her vitals. "I…I'm not sure." Doc finally answered in a hoarse wheeze as another bout of coughs wracked his body. He stumbled slightly, and Zach grabbed him to steady him.

"Sit down, Doc," ordered the captain. He turned to the medic checking on Niko. "I want him checked out too."

The medic nodded and turned his attention back to the female ranger. She didn't appear to have any obvious physical injuries other than apparent smoke inhalation, but he was definitely concerned that she wasn't conscious. " Desario, I need two portable O2 tanks and grab the albuterol." He called to his partner.

Carrying the requested items, another medic ran up from the emergency hovercar. He handed a tank to his partner, and turned his attention to the other victim rescued from the fire. "I'm medic Desario. That is my partner, Gage; he'll be taking care of your friend there." The medic said quietly to Doc as he placed an oxygen mask over the ranger's nose and mouth and began taking his vitals. Doc could do little more than nod as he accepted the mask gratefully.

As Gage infused Niko's mask with the bronchodilator, the female ranger jerked upright with a muffled incoherent scream.

"Whoa, easy there, babe," Shane soothed grabbing her flailing arms and holding her protectively. "You're all right now."

Niko's luminous eyes flickered as she leaned back into Goose's protective arms. "Sarah?" she sighed softly.

"Oh, shit, Sarah!" Doc exclaimed pulling off the oxygen mask.

"Is there someone still in the building?" Zach exclaimed seeing the horrorstricken look on Doc's face.

"Yes…no…I mean." Doc stammered.

"Well, which is it?"

Doc slumped back against the sidewalk curb and closed his eyes. "Sarah was already dead when we got there, Zach. Her body is in there." Defeated, Doc didn't resist when the medic carefully replaced his oxygen mask.

"I think you had better start at the beginning." Zachary said kneeling next to Doc. He turned to the medic. "Is he well enough to give me a report?"

Desario looked at his patient and then up to the Galaxy Ranger Captain. "He needs to keep the mask on to help with his breathing. We're going to want to transport him to the infirmary to have the doctor examine him."

"Do that," agreed the captain. "Doc, just take it easy. You can tell me everything after you and Niko get checked out."

Before Doc could even nod in acknowledgement, another tremor rocked the ground.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**0230 – Office Quarters/Beta Mountain**

**151 – 2105**

An insistent chime from his vidcom woke Commander Joseph Walsh from a sound sleep. Groggily, he rubbed a hand across his face and pushed a button to answer. "Yes."

"Commander Walsh, sir, so sorry to bother you," stammered a very new recruit.

Sighing softly to himself, the commander nodded. "It's okay, son. What seems to be the problem?"

"Sir, the Chief of Space Science and Astronomy said to contact you right away. He has urgent news for you regarding the situation on Arkansas2."

Suddenly, very much awake, the commander answered. "I'll meet him in conference room four in fifteen."

"Yes, sir."

**0247 – Conference Room Four/Beta Mountain**

**151 – 2105**

"You're telling me the message sent to Beta is a hoax." Commander Walsh's voice held a tone of anger and skepticism. "What about the planetary seismic activity?"

The Chief of Science looked to his second in command and nodded for the woman to continue. "The tectonic activities are taking place. Data being transmitted from the satellite observation decks as well as the reports taken from the Series 5 Team confirm this. In fact, the planet is becoming more unstable."

"Tell me something I don't know." The commander said impatiently.

"Nothing on that planet - not even something "man-made" - is causing the seismic activity."

"You have proof of this?"

"Video documentation. See for yourself." The Chief answered and cued the vid-screen. "As you can see, the Arkansas2 is not a typical planet - it is more of an asteroid terra formed into a planetoid to sustain mining activities. Cost-wise it was cheaper for Metallurgy Conglomerations to have field operatives versus a traditional space mining operation. The planetoid is the leading source in materials used for composite metals in our whole sector.

"The other item that mostly sets Arkansas2 apart is that it is in a complex orbit around a supermassive black hole. As you can see here, the planetoid experiences an orbit that is not perfectly elliptical nor even timed in a traditional fashion." Commander Walsh watched the screen as the computer showed a model of the orbit of Arkansas2 around the black hole. It reminded him of an old earth-game of tetherball. The planet would wobble in an orbit and then accelerate out from the black hole and wobble again only to be thrown around in an odd circular pattern - resembling a circle drawn by a four-year-old.

"We were already aware of the implications of Arkansas2's positioning regarding the black hole. We also know that even though the orbit is peculiar, it has been stable for as long as we have been collecting data in that sector." Commander Walsh agreed trying to speed up the news of the urgent discovery.

"Indeed," the Chief concurred and continued. "But, what we didn't know was this. What you are looking at is a compilation of X-ray data that we have been collecting on Arkansas2 for about 30 years."

"Wait a minute," commander Walsh interrupted. "Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing? Are those signals separate?"

"Yes. What you are seeing are two separate sources of X-Ray emissions."

"Which means," the commander prompted.

"Which led to the speculation that Arkansas2 is not in a complex orbit around a single black hole but a binary black hole."

"Two black holes? You're telling me that the planetoid is orbiting two black holes, and no one has ever noticed this!"

The Chief flinched slightly at the commander's tone but continued on with his explanation. "We aren't positive, but this is the best hypothesis that we have. Arkansas2 is in a binary black hole system. Our best guess is that the accretion disk of one of the black holes was camouflaging the X-Ray emissions of the second black hole. In addition, we believe that it is very possible that the second black hole does not have an accretion disk at all or if it does it is very thin. The result of no accretion disk would be little to no X-Ray emissions.

"Okay. What do we know about binary black holes?"

At this point, the Chief's second took over the conversation. "Binary black hole systems are created similarly to singleton black holes. Most galaxies are observed to have supermassive black holes at their centers. When two such galaxies merge, they create a binary black hole system.

"Intuitively, one would expect that the convergence of these two galaxies would cause the two existing supermassive black holes to join together into a single black hole. However, contrary to this expectation, once these black holes come near enough to each other – about three light-years – they begin to orbit each other as a bound, stable pair with star clusters orbiting around both black holes.

"Okay. So, you said that the binary black hole system has a stable orbit. Why are we seeing such turmoil on Arkansas2?" Commander Walsh asked.

The view screen began showing the orbits of stars between the bound black hole pair, as the Chief took over the explanation. "As you can see in this computer model, the orbits of the stars and other matter have become very complex and unorganized. It is this unorganized pattern that will eventually bring an object very close to one of the black holes. But, instead of being trapped or pulled into the event horizon, the star gains so much speed that it is hurled outward in a "gravitational slingshot" effect (much like maneuvers used for space travel prior to the adoption of the Andorian hyper drive technology). This "slingshot" mechanism gives the object sufficient velocity to escape the black hole pair entirely. Basically, the binary black hole efficiently hurls away almost all objects orbiting it. The result is a new, emptier galaxy core with a uniform star density and fairly stable orbits."

"But to answer your question, we have two hypotheses as to the destructive changes occurring on Arkansas2. The first hypothesis is that Arkansas2 is acting like one of the stars getting closer to one of the black holes. In time, it will reach escape velocity and be flung off into another galaxy."

"The second?" Commander Walsh inquired knowing that he would probably like this scenario even less.

"The second is probably the most probable. The black hole binary is undergoing its final coalescence into a single black hole. Our models indicate that as the binary begins to merge it will radiate energy in the form of gravitational waves."

"This would account for all the seismic activity?"

"I'll defer to my colleague as she has more expertise on planetary geology."

"When a gravitational wave arrives, the planetoid's nucleus suddenly restrains causing a slipping of the mantle layer. This slipping gets greater and greater as it moves through the external layers up to the crust - creating seismic and volcanic activity. The severity of topological reaction to gravitational waves is based upon proximity. The closer an object is to the gravitational wave, the higher intensity but the shorter the duration."

"Hence, the quick bursts of tremors and earthquakes which have been random in occurrence and placement."

"Exactly."

"Okay, based on this information, what are your recommendations?"

"Full planetary evacuation." The two scientists said in unison. "Best case scenario, Arkansas2 will be flung off to the far reaches of another galaxy, hopefully without colliding with anything. Worst case, the planetoid will be obliterated as the binary collapses into one."

"Alert the Series 5 Team." The commander agreed. "I'll see about getting the Laredo and her sister battle cruiser, the Hidalgo, to aid in the evacuation."

"Commander," the Chief interrupted. "There may be a problem with reaching the Series 5 Rangers."

"What do you mean?"

"The team missed their last transmission, sir. We cannot reach their ship nor can we reach the settlement. Communications seem to be completely cut off. We believe that the gravitational waves may be interacting with the planetoid magnetic field causing these types of mechanical and communication problems."

"How much time do we have?"

"We don't know, sir. Our best guess ranges from now to one week to anywhere within the next few years."

"That's quite a spread, Chief. " Commander Walsh ran an irritated hand through his graying hair.

The Chief's second stepped in. "Regardless of the time in which the binary system collapses into a singleton, there are other extenuating circumstances that are making time of the essence. The gravitational waves are not going to go away. If anything, they will occur more frequently and possibly with more intensity. In the last report from the Series 5 Team, we were informed that the protective dome on Arkansas2 is damaged. Even if the scientists can repair it, constant exposure to the forces being exerted on the planetoid by the binary black holes will wreak havoc to systems and most likely people as well. We estimate approximately 150 hours before total system shut down. That is of course providing the planetoid doesn't suffer another catastrophic quake that shatters the dome.

"You're giving me less than five days to evacuate Arkansas2. That's not much time."

"As I said, sir, it is a best guess based upon our current models. We need to have the planetoid evacuated and be as far from the binary black holes as possible. When they converge, it's going to be one hell of a show."

------------------

**0547 – Arkansas2**

**151 – 2105**

Niko saw the torn look in Shane's eyes as he watched part of the fully involved building begin to crumble. "We'll be fine. Go!" She assured him hoarsely through the breathing mask.

Needing no other prompting, both Zachary and Gooseman charged up to the volunteers trying to battle the building's collapse as well as to contain the blaze. Both men dove into the smoldering debris to help pull volunteers now victims from the rubble.

Niko glanced at Doc and smiled tiredly. "What are you doing?"

Ranger Hartford had pulled out his CDU. "I'm trying to figure out why the blaze is so out of control. The automated fire suppression system should have kicked in and contained this fire a long time ago regardless of the accelerant the arsonist used."

"I can answer that question for you," the medic named Gage responded as he adjusted the oxygen rate on Niko's mask. "The cumulative damage caused by the last bout of quakes affected several of the emergency systems. The fire suppression system was taken off-line while repairs were being made. Our worst-case scenario came true, a fire and not any fire, but one set."

Shouts for assistance distracted the medic. He looked at the two rangers and then back to the scene where apparently two victims had been pulled from the wreckage. "Technically, I shouldn't leave you," he wavered.

"This is field triage, man. You go do what you're here for. Ranger Niko and I are stable."

"Thanks." The medic grabbed his field pack and spare oxygen canister and headed to assist his partner with the new victims.

"You are okay, aren't you, Niko?"

"Yeah. Just hurts a little when I breathe. How long was I out?"

"You don't remember?"

"Last thing I recall was looking for something to help pry open the door."

"I found you sprawled on the floor near Sarah's body. You didn't activate your badge did you?" Doc accused gently.

"No."

"You're sure?"

"Doc," Niko coughed softly. "I did not trigger my implant."

Niko and Doc's conversation was interrupted as the other two rangers approached them. Both wore grim expressions on their soot and dirt streaked faces. "Fire's finally out." Gooseman reported.

Before more information could be exchanged, Deputy Reeves sauntered up to the group. "I have some questions for you, Rangers." He announced imperiously.

"You have questions for us?" Captain Foxx asked incredulously.

"I told you, Captain, you folks are here by invitation only. Now, I want to know why two of your team members were in Ms. Jamison's store before it went up in smoke."

Doc sat up straighter and pulled his mask down to answer, "Just what are you insinuating?"

"I'm saying that fire was set and you're looking at criminal charges of breaking and entering and arson."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Doc, put your mask back on." Captain Foxx ordered as he heard more stridor in the ranger's breathing. "As for you, Deputy Reeves," the captain continued hotly. "I'm officially taking over."

"You…you can't do that." The deputy sputtered indignantly.

"Oh, I can," the captain hissed as he pulled face to face with the other man. "You have been twiddling your thumbs around a possible planetary disaster. You have been impeding a League of Planets sponsored investigation. In addition, I have reason to believe that you, the sheriff and the mayor are in collusion and have been tampering with evidence since day one. As of right now, I'm taking over this investigation - the quakes, the fire, Ms. Jamison's murder are now all under my purview."

"We'll see what the Sheriff has to say about this." Deputy Reeves grumbled as he stepped away from the captain.

"Tell him, I look forward to it." Foxx replied to Reeve's rigid back as he stalked in the direction of his hovercar.

Medic Desario passed the angry deputy on his way to the Series Five Rangers. "Captain, we have to get those two victims that you and Ranger Gooseman pulled from the building to the infirmary ASAP. Problem is, we can't fit them and your team members into the same vehicle."

"Go," ordered the captain. "We'll stay here until you or medic Gage can get back."

Desario flashed the captain and his two patients a quick smile of relief and headed to the waiting ambulance transport.

"It's always something; isn't it?" Goosman grumbled rhetorically as he settled to the ground next to Doc and Niko.

"It certainly appears that way." Zachary agreed as he to made himself comfortable for the wait for transport to the infirmary. "You two feel up to filling us in on what happened here?"

------------------------

A/N: Thanks to all of you who have reviewed. I appreciate all the feedback and encouragement. Oh, and I went back and revised the chapter describing Arkansas2 (Chapter 3) so if you haven't read this in awhile you might need to go back to that chapter. I also wanted to give a little credit to the sources I used for the explanation of binary black holes and gravitational waves. Yes, these are true phenomena even if some of it is hypothesized. I, of course, did take some authorship prerogatives to embellish a few things, but I did try to be as scientifically accurate as I could.

Binary Black Holes:

Science Daily. (2000). _Galaxies Collide And Binary Black Holes Result According To Rutgers Astronomers._ Electronic version. Retrieved January 13, 2006.

Gravitational Waves:

Galletti, P and Aluigi, A. (2003). _Interaction of Gravitational Waves with Matter._ Electronic version. Retrieved January 13, 2006.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**0945 – Arkansas2**

**151 – 2105**

"Let's go." Captain Zachary Foxx said to Ranger Goosman as he poked his head into the room shared by Rangers Niko and Hartford.

About an hour after they had left with the critical patients from the general store fire and collapse, the medics had returned to take Niko and Doc to the infirmary. Zachary and Shane had followed to make sure that there were no complications.

Both Niko and Doc appeared to be weathering their encounter with the smoke and fire well. Both were breathing fine on their own now without the aid of artificial breathing apparatuses. They had been admitted to a semi-private room for observational purposes. It was expected that barring any unforeseen difficulties, they would be released late that afternoon.

"You keep an eye on him." Gooseman nodded in the general direction of Doc and winked at Niko as he followed his captain from the room.

After making sure that both of his rangers were settled in and resting comfortably, Captain Foxx had decided that it was time to step up the investigation. The obfuscating local government had been jerking around the rangers since they had arrived planet side. It was time to force a meeting among the authorities and the local politicians.

"Any word on the other two victims from the fire?" Gooseman asked walking beside Zachary as they headed to where the cybersteeds had been corralled.

"Yeah," the muscles in Zachary's jaw visibly tightened with emotion. "The one in the burn unit will likely not survive the night. The other one's prognosis is slightly better as long as they can keep the airway unobstructed. She apparently inhaled some rather noxious chemicals as well as burned her windpipe. By the way, she was Sarah Jamison's daughter."

"Man," Gooseman said softly trying not to replay the images of Niko and Doc as he pulled them from the fire.

"I know. They could have easily been one of ours. And, that is why we are heading to the mayor's office now."

"Without an appointment?" Goose asked with wicked innocence as he opened the gate to the corral.

"Indeed. I think we've waited long enough. No need to give them a heads up to concoct an explanation to the latest string of events." Zachary mounted Brutus and led the way to the seat of the local government."

------------------

**1015 – Arkansas2 - Government Offices**

**151 – 2105**

"You can't go in there." The personal assistant said to the two rangers as she planted herself directly in front of the mayor's office door.

"Goose." The captain invited.

"Sorry, ma'am," Gooseman drawled as he carefully picked up the personal assistant and set her out of the way.

Captain Foxx opened the door without even a warning knock. "Seems we were anticipated."

Inside, the room looked as though it had been ransacked. Papers and books were strewn haphazardly across the floor. A pile of finely shredded paperwork lay in a heap next to an overflowing trashcan. The computer and monitor were smashed into bits and pieces across the desk, the only piece of furniture that had not been overturned.

"Gods, what happened in here?" The personal assistant murmured in dismay. "Where is Mayor Landry?"

"We were hoping you could tell us."

"He's supposed to be in here. Right after I patched an emergency call from the sheriff into his office, he stepped out to tell me to hold his calls and appointments. He hasn't left his office since."

"Are you sure?" Gooseman asked gently. "You didn't leave your desk for even a few minutes?"

"I certainly did not!" Tears started to form in the woman's eyes. "Oh, dear, who could have done this? Do you think he's hurt?"

"I'm sure he's fine," muttered the captain still looking at the chaos in the room. "Ma'am, do you think that you could wait outside, while Ranger Gooseman and I look around?"

"S-sure, if you think it would help." The woman agreed as the tears freed themselves to trickle down her cheeks.

"That would be very helpful." Shane agreed. "And, you could be even more helpful by checking to see if somehow the mayor left to an early lunch or maybe an outside appointment."

The woman brightened at the possibility of finding the mayor and quickly wiped her eyes with her hands. "Certainly, I'll get right on that. Maybe he did slip by me when I got that second cup of coffee."

"Maybe." Gooseman flashed her his trademark smile.

"Can I get you gentlemen anything?"

"No. We'll be fine. But there is one thing more you could do for us."

"Yes?"

"Could you make sure that no one else comes in here while we're working? We certainly don't want any leads walking out the door."

"Sure." The woman smiled back at Shane and headed to her desk to start calling around town about Mayor Landry's whereabouts.

As the door closed, Gooseman looked back at his captain who was shaking his head in awe. "What?"

"Is that look something you came up with on your own, or do your bio-defenses create it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Captain." Gooseman replied with feigned innocence and began taking a closer look at the materials lying beside the garbage container.

"I suppose I know what that emergency call from the sheriff entailed." Captain Foxx stated the obvious while he too looked more closely at the ruins of the computer equipment.

"Us, obviously."

"Yep. He apparently had enough time to get rid of anything that is incriminating."

"True, but not enough time to tidy up. Where do you think the illustrious mayor headed off to?"

"That, Gooseman, is a good question. His personal assistant looked too shook up to be in on the cover-up or clean up although this looks more suspicious than clean."

Shane leaned back on his heels as he looked at the room in its entirety. Everything had definitely been disposed of and stripped. Against the opposite wall from the door behind the desk, Shane noticed a very small void area. He walked over for a closer inspection.

"Do you hear something?" Gooseman asked, as he got closer to the wall.

Zachary stood up and listened for a moment. He was very quiet for a second before answering. "I'm not sure. Is that the HVAC system?"

"I don't think so." Shane placed his hands against the wall and felt around the surface. Next to the bookcase, his fingers felt a line depression that ran the length of the wall. "I think that I may have found our mayor's escape route." Pushing and sliding his hands against the wall, he was able to trigger a mechanism to slide the whole partition back.

Zachary came and stood next to Shane looking into the black hole of nothingness. "Looks like the only way out is straight down."

"Or, we could just take the elevator." Shane suggested as he found a small button on the inside of the wall and triggered the motor. Sure enough, a few moments later a very decrepit elevator platform rose to the office level.

Zach carefully stepped onto the platform and winced as the metal made an audible creak of protest. Shane copied the move and was also rewarded with a groan of complaint from the floor. "Sure hope she holds up."

Shane didn't reply as he pushed the only other button in the elevator. A metal grate slammed down under the pretenses of protecting the occupants from presumably falling although Gooseman figured it was only for show as once the elevator started moving there was nowhere to go. There was only a minute amount of space between the elevator and the elevator shaft.

Zach took a breath not realizing that he had been holding it since their descent started. "Is it me or does the air smell, I don't know, stale?"

"Yeah, there is definitely a difference in the quality of the air." Shane agreed. He could even taste the bitterness. "It reminds me of canned spacesuit air after being in the suit for awhile."

Zachary nodded in agreement as the platform came to an abrupt halt. The metal grate that had come down upon their descent needed some persuasion to be raised. Gripping the gate with his bionic arm, Foxx pushed it out of the way with a squeal of metal against metal.

Shane's eyes rapidly adjusted to the very minimal light. "Looks like we're in a mine shaft. At least, I think it's one."

The walls of the enclosure were rock made smooth by machinery and time. There was no natural light to be found. The only illumination came from some wall sconces that were minimalist in design. Next to the elevator shaft stood a wall of cubbies and tacks. On the tacks were what appeared to be fully thermal jump suits. In the cubbies were some kinds of devices to aid in breathing. Zachary went to the storage area and fingered the fabric of the orange jump suit. "Might not be a bad idea to put these on."

Gooseman nodded and pulled a jumpsuit over his ranger uniform. "We'd better borrow these rebreathers as well. The air quality is already degraded; I would bet that it doesn't get any better the further in we go."

"Agreed." Zachary also donned a jumpsuit and slid the small canister onto his back. "Looks like these devices are closed circuit. We'll only have about sixty minutes max on them. Use it sparingly, and set your chronometer for thirty minutes."

Gooseman adjusted his tank and nodded to his captain as they started walking in the only direction they could go. Talking was impossible with the breathing apparatuses in place, so Zachary used a hand signal for Goose to take point. As they continued down the passage the minimal light waned and became nonexistent once they turned a corner. Although Gooseman had the aid of his supertrooper senses to help with navigation, he pulled out his safety light and played it on the ground for his captain.

Senses on high alert, he stopped suddenly and switched off the light as soon as he heard voices raised in anger. Up ahead there was another sharp bend in the tunnel, akin to a hairpin turn one finds on mountainous roads. As they drew closer and turned into the curve, soft light could be seen with two shadowed silhouettes arguing vehemently.

"I told you that I ain't going down for this! Them, Galaxy Rangers are too close for comfort. Something has to be done."

"And, a great job you did on that, didn't you! You get one simple assignment and blow it sky high. You could have burned the whole town down."

"You didn't tell me that the fire suppression system was off line. How was I to know?"

"You're paid to know. Paid very well. Now, we've got the Rangers hot on our tail. Least you could have done was dwindled their numbers."

Zachary felt Shane stiffen upon hearing proof of the attempted murders of Niko and Doc. Fearing the ranger might launch into action, he put a restraining hand on the man's shoulder. Shane nodded his head at his captain, but the tension in his body was still evident.

There was a lull in the argument as both men stopped to inhale from their masks. "This is ridiculous! We know the Rangers are on their way over here, so what are we going to do about them?"

"You eliminated all the paperwork and computer copies?"

"I told you I did."

"Well, now we need to find a way off this rock before it crumbles around us."

Another two breaths from the rebreathers, and the first man continued. "I still don't see how the operation compromised the atmospheric dome. All of the science techs said that it was impossible."

"Doesn't matter. The quakes brought the Rangers here. They know something is up. We need to skedaddle now. Heck, we should have gone yesterday. If you hadn't had that stupid appearance…"

"I was keeping up appearances, remember."

The other man bent his head and took some more air from the breathing mask. As he lifted his head, he also lifted a gun that he had brought along for insurance. "Yeah. And now, I'm taking care of creating the disappearances. I'm going to make sure that you're the one who goes down with the deal."

As soon as Zachary saw the raised gun, he released his hand from Shane's shoulder. Of one accord, the two rangers stepped into the small circle of light. Zachary lowered his mask and announced their presence. "Galaxy Rangers! Drop your weapon!"

With a speed that surprised the rangers, the man who held the gun, whipped the other man around and pulled him close like a human shield. He was still holding the gun but now was pressing it against the other man's temple. "Well, well, well, Captain Foxx, we meet again."


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**1155 – Arkansas2 - Infirmary**

**151 – 2105**

Flipping onto her back, Niko ran an irritated hand through her long henna colored hair. _One of these days, I'm going to chop it off!_ She vowed silently aggravated by the strands tangling around her fingers. Sighing, she turned to look at her companion in the room. Doc was also lying on his back apparently resting as had been instructed by the medic and the captain.

Resolutely, Niko closed her eyes and used deep breathing exercises to try and help her relax. But, the relaxation was fleeting at best. Again, Niko flipped to her side, this time facing Doc. She stared at him for a few minutes envious of his slumber and hoping somehow by watching him it would rub off on her.

"I wish you wouldn't do that." Doc said looking back into Niko's blue eyes and startling her.

"I'm sorry, Doc. Did I wake you?"

"I wasn't really asleep," Doc admitted ruefully and ran a hand across his face feeling the slight stubble of beard. He hadn't had time for a decent shower or shave before he and Niko had gone in search of Sarah. "What's up? You've been tossing and turning for hours."

"Sorry about that." Niko murmured softly. "I can't seem to shake the feeling that something is going to happen. Something really bad."

"Little consolation, Niko, but I feel it too. I feel like we're all just sitting here waiting for the other shoe to drop. Unfortunately, I think that the shoe belongs to a giant."

Niko smiled wanly and looked to the quiet CDU sitting on the small nightstand next to Doc's bed. "You get through?"

Doc followed her gaze and picked up his CDU. "Nothing. And, neither GV nor ALMA can reach BETA either. With the satellite communication system fried here from the last few days of quakes, I'm not sure how we're going to send information much less receive it."

"The captain was pretty well convinced that a planetary evacuation was going to have to happen. But, the government here doesn't have the resources to assemble such a plan. We need to call in reinforcements."

"About the only thing we can do is work on getting the satellite relay back up and running. My only other suggestions, is to send ALMA into space to see if she can get a message out. As you know, the radiation from the blackhole is a communications nightmare."

Niko sat up on the bed and draped her legs over the side. "We need to go, Doc." Niko's voice held a restrained note of alarm.

Doc didn't question Niko as she handed him his clothes and stepped behind a privacy screen with her own wardrobe. He simply followed suit, removing his hospital gown and pulling on his uniform ignoring the patches of soot and stains from the early morning escapade. As Doc was finishing the last button on his shirt, Niko stepped out from the screen.

"You know this is against medic and captain orders." He reminded her gently.

"I know."

Before either of them could make it to the door, they felt the floor beneath them sway and begin to buckle. A symphony of screeching metal scraping against metal and materials breaking and popping seemed to accompany the disastrous choreography of the newest earthquake for Arkansas2.

**1217 – Arkansas2 - Beneath Government Office District**

**151 – 2105**

"I said drop your weapon." Captain Foxx repeated as he and Gooseman held their firearms on Deputy Reeves who was still holding Mayor Landry as a shield.

"I told you, Galaxy Rangers don't have the authority on this planet." Reeves snarled back and pushed his gun harder against his hostage's temple eliciting a gasp of pain from the man. "I do. You want to keep this man alive. You drop your own weapons!"

Zachary could feel his lungs struggle to function properly in the low-oxygen air. He glanced at Gooseman, and slowly, they both lowered their guns. "Don't be foolish, Reeves. If you kill the mayor, you lose any bargaining position you have."

"I won't be losing anything. Now, drop those weapons to the floor!"

Before either Gooseman or Zachary could comply, the walls and the floor began to shimmy, and chunks of rock rending from the roof came crashing down. Startled, Deputy Reeves fired his gun off-mark and into the caving in ceiling. Additional slag rained down on the two men obscuring them from the rangers' view.

Zachary felt Goose push him back down the small tunnel against a far wall as the roof became inverted collapsing the tunnel entirely. A large hunk of what was previously ceiling clipped Gooseman against the side of his temple, and he slumped backward against Zachary. "Oh no you don't." Zachary growled catching the ranger before he fell. "Use your badge, Goose!"

Groggily, Gooseman groped for his badge until his floundering arm suddenly triggered the implant in a bath of golden light. Immediately, Gooseman's bio-defenses jolted to action converting his form into a shell that resembled metal. Gooseman quickly shook off the lingering effects of the blow to his head, and he began to start back into what was left of the tunnel.

"It's no good." Foxx gasped in the extremely thin air. What little oxygen was in the tunnels was contaminated with all of the debris from the quake. "Unless they made it past the ceiling collapse and on to the other side, they're already dead."

Gooseman's biodefenses did not allow for him to respond verbally to his captain. He just shook his head in disgust and retrieved the flashlight from where it had fallen. He played the light against the newly blocked off tunnel and then back toward what would now be their only escape route. Part of the passageway was already groaning and an occasional shard and stream of dirt would rain down. It was likely that the entire shaft would crumble at any moment.

Zachary didn't need any more prompting. "Let's get going." He ordered and pushed the mask from his rebreather tightly against his face.

As Gooseman and Foxx rapidly headed back the way they had come, they heard and then felt another tremor make its way across the newly defined fault. More and more rubble started to pull from the roof and walls around them. Breaking into a dead run, the two men stumbled into the elevator shaft just as the tunnel completely collapsed upon itself.

Zachary rubbed his eyes still stinging from the dust and rocks. "That was too close." He gasped and moved his mask back into place.

"Yeah." Gooseman agreed as he morphed back into his normal form. "Your oxygen doing okay?"

Zachary swiped a hand over the grime that now covered the gauge on the apparatus and read it in the dusty light filtering from Gooseman's flashlight. "I can manage. You?"

"Probably better than you. Didn't need it while my biodefenses were kicked in. Looks like we got a long climb ahead of us. We can buddy breathe mine if yours runs out."

"Or until the elevator collapses around us." Zachary said sarcastically listening to the ominous creaking and popping around them. "Let's get to it."

**1235 – Arkansas2 - Infirmary**

**151 – 2105**

An alarm wailing was the first sound she heard when she lifted her head from the protective barrier she had created with her arms. Dazedly, Niko cast around trying to figure out where she was. She felt her body aching in places she didn't know that she had, but nothing seemed broken. Her hand reached out to push against something pinning her to her stomach and came away quickly when she realized that the thing she was pushing against wasn't a thing at all.

"Doc?" Niko croaked trying to get her throat to cooperate. All of the smoke inhalation therapy had been undone in breathing the aftermath of this latest quake. Niko was rewarded with a soft groan and a slight easing of pressure as Doc stirred and tried to move.

"Did you get the name of that space cruiser?" Doc rasped showing he too had lost most of the benefits of the respiration therapy.

"You okay?" Niko asked moving to check out her companion. "You're bleeding."

"Yeah. I think I hit my head on the post of the bed when we dove under here. The bleeding is superficial. But, I bet I've got black and blue marks on every exposed and not so exposed part of my body. You are hearing bells too, right?"

"The alarms have been going off ever since the last quake hit. I don't see any smoke or fire out this way." Niko pointed to where the door of the room still stood blocked by yards and yard of fragments of wall and broken medical equipment and supplies. "I haven't had a chance to see what it looks like behind us. Any chance you can get a better look?"

Doc pushed up onto his forearms and stifled a groan as he became aware that the myriad of bruises he had been suggesting were indeed fact. Pushing aside a few undeterminable items from the bed frame, he peered out into simulated sunlight. "Will wonders ever cease?"

Just as Niko was about to ask Doc what he saw, a new noise entered their wrecked room. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ "Anyone in there? Can you hear me?" came a muffled voice.

"Yeah! We're here!" Niko yelled in return her voice more gravelly than she preferred.

"We're going to get you out of there! Anyone hurt?"

"No. We're okay." Niko replied. "But there is a wall of wreckage blocking that door. There is no way that you can get to us from there."

"Listen," Doc interrupted. "I think that we can get out to the outside. I'm seeing sunlight, and it appears to be a fairly clear path."

"You should wait until we can get to you. That area is unstable. We'll have rescue workers to you as soon as possible. But until then, stay put!"

"With all due respect," Niko yelled back, "your rescue workers should concentrate on the priority areas. Ranger Hartford and I will get out of here just fine. How is the rest of the hospital?

Realizing that he was communicating with Galaxy Rangers and not civilians, the voice changed in tone. "It appears that the more sensitive areas of critical care were the least hit. Our triage and observation rooms were all destroyed. Listen, I know you're going to do what you gotta do, but I still want to advise you to stay put. The foundation in your area is still unstable, and we haven't had the time nor manpower to shore up that side of the building."

"Understood. When we get out of here, we'll make sure to mark the area via protocol for search and rescue. Good luck!"

"Good luck to you too, Rangers."

"Wanna get out of here?" Niko asked Doc with more enthusiasm than she felt.

"I think I've found the best route. We'll need to move carefully, or else we'll pull the rest of the building down on top of us. Shall we?" Doc invited.

**0130 – Arkansas2 – Hidden Elevator Shaft - Government Office District**

**151 – 2105**

After a half an hour of arduous climbing, the low air alarm on Zachary's tank started ringing insistently. "We've got another 150 meters or so. Think you can manage?" Goose asked.

Zachary paused to flick off the warning bell and to test the air without the aid of the rebreather. It was stale but viable. "I'm fine, let's just keep on going. I don't like the sound of this shaft."

While climbing the cable that the elevator used as its winching mechanism was unadvisable, it was their only escape from the mine. That coupled with the increasing violent noise of materials settling and rubbing against each other was making Zachary even more anxious to make it to the relative safety of the Mayor's office.

"It's beginning to lighten up in here." Goose called down encouragingly as he pulled himself further toward their goal.

Zachary could do little more than grunt as he continued to climb. While his eyes were not nearly as sensitive as Gooseman's, he did notice that the air quality was also improving. "We got to be close." He muttered more for his benefit than his companion's.

"Nope." Goose replied with satisfaction. "We're there!"

After few seconds of shifting and muttered curses, a victorious shriek of metal rending from metal let loose as Zachary forced the elevator door apart from the mayor's office wall. In moments, both rangers, drenched in sweat and exhausted, lay on the ruined office floor.

"Any chance this building is still structurally sound?" Zachary asked after he had a chance to truly catch his breath. He was finally sitting upright and looking at the demolished office.

"Doubt it."

"Yeah. Where would the fun be in that?" Gingerly, Captain Foxx got back to his feet. "Come on, Goose, time to visit the Bureau of Science and to get the hell off this rock."

"'Bout time." Gooseman agreed as he and Zachary started to pick their way through the office in the direction that used to be the exit.

------------------------

A/N: Thanks to everyone for their patience. I tell you, when life comes at you, it comes at you hard and fast. Hopefully, things will calm down now, and I can put this story to bed. I've got the last chapter currently in the works and hopefully will be able to get it finished and posted much sooner than this last post. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Regards - RL


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**0315 – Arkansas2 – Bureau of Science**

**151 – 2105**

Chaos abounded. The heads of the Science Bureau had called a meeting of science and state but no one could locate the mayor.

"Grid's down to 13 percent. Even working 24 hour shifts, the best we can expect is 32 percent by week's end."

"24 hour shifts! We don't have the manpower to have 24 hour shifts and still handle all of the civilian search and rescue operations!"

"There isn't enough manpower to handle law enforcement either."

"There is now!" a voice boomed from the entryway into the conference room. The voice of authority immediately quelled the hubbub from the assembly, and all eyes turned to the Galaxy Ranger captain standing in the doorway.

"By the authority granted to me by the League of Planets, I am hereby declaring a state of emergency for Arkansas2. By this declaration, the Galaxy Rangers are hereby granted full authority to act on behalf of Arkansas2. In so doing, I am declaring a mandatory planetary evacuation."

A full minute passed in silence as the crowd took in the captain's words, and then an eruption of protests started.

"You can't do that!"

"Where's Mayor Landry? He wouldn't stand for that."

"What about you, Sheriff Bogsworth, you gonna let him get away with this?"

"Evacuation? Are you nuts! We don't have the resources…"

A laser blast struck the ceiling and silenced the group once more. Gooseman glared challengingly at the sheriff, and the local lawman lowered his hand from the gun that was still hanging at his hip.

"I can, and I am taking charge of Arkansas2! Now, the first item of business is to repair as much of the grid as possible. We're going to need the time we buy fixing the network to allow for an orderly and full planet evac. Secondly, we are going to reestablish the communications relay system. BETA Mountain had been making preparations for evacuation assistance, and we're going to let them know we need them. Thirdly, the Galaxy Rangers will be the ones overseeing the evacuation and law enforcement of Arkansas2 until further notice. I'm sure that Sheriff Bogsworth will be happy to comply and assist us in this matter. Now, I want all able-bodied grid and communication personnel to report to conference room 2D for assignment. The rest of you stay here with Ranger Gooseman."

Grudgingly, a few men and women headed for the conference room directed. Shortly thereafter, they were followed by a larger trickle of people leaving the main room empty with the exception of Captain Foxx, Ranger Gooseman, Sheriff Bogsworth, and three additional law enforcement deputies.

"Bit much with the weapon fire, don't you think?" Zachary asked Gooseman as he watched the last of technicians leave.

Gooseman shrugged his shoulders. "Worked, didn't it?"

Captain Foxx shook his head ruefully and asked as he headed out the door, "think you can handle the law enforcement assignments?"

"We'll manage just fine." Gooseman replied smiling with intent at the men still in the room.

After the captain's departure, Gooseman leaned his tall frame against the back wall and looked directly at the sheriff. "I see Deputy Reeves appears to be missing," he commented offhandedly.

At the mere mention of the man's name, Sheriff Bogsworth began to bristle angrily. "You mean, Ex-Deputy, Ranger. As of nine o'clock this morning, Daniel Reeves became a wanted man."

"You don't say." The lack of surprise in Gooseman's voice wasn't lost on the sheriff.

"You know something you ain't telling me?"

"Depends on what you know, Sheriff." Goose returned. "How about we do a little info trade in the interest of peacekeeping for this fair planet."

The sheriff looked at Gooseman long and hard before offering a slight nod of agreement. "About a month ago, a Reverend Lawrence came to me swearing that the mines were corrupt. Said he saw strange lights and noises coming from one of the mines that had been abandoned after it had been mined raw. I was skeptical, but put my chief deputy on to investigate. He never found anything. Shortly thereafter, the reverend came back and apologized for his claims. Said he was mistaken."

"The religious community tends to get a little cranky when science is involved, so I didn't pay much mind to it. Until almost exactly a week later, a science technician came into my office and asked to speak with me directly. Said he knew there was something fishy going on in the mines. Said I needed to keep an eye on my men too."

"Now, me and my men are a pretty tight group, and any insinuation that there was corruption in my office was not taken kindly. In fact, I was madder than a bronco with a hide full of bee stings. I told the man to get out of my sight and never come back."

"This man that came to see you, his name wouldn't happen to be Andrews would it?"

The sheriff stopped talking and looked at Gooseman carefully. "Why yes, I believe it was, Sherman Andrews. How did you know that?"

Rather than answering the sheriff, Goose just shrugged his shoulders and waited for the sheriff to continue. "Anyway, originally, I didn't think much more about Mr. Andrews. But then, the reverend showed up dead and right after that the quakes started. And, well, I started to get a little suspicious. 'Course bout that time you yahoos showed up. Uh, no offense, Ranger." Gooseman raised an eyebrow to the term "yahoo" but nodded for the sheriff to continue.

"Like I said, I don't mean no offense, but we locals believe in handling our own affairs. We don't like it when the governmental bigwigs butt in especially when we weren't the ones inviting them. You have to understand that many of us came out here to work and make a decent living. But, we ended up finding a permanent place to put down our roots. Those of us who started out brought everything we had. Many of us brought our entire families, those who didn't ended up making 'em right here on Arkansas2. This is not just a mining camp for Metallurgy Conglomerations, it is our home."

"If this is your home, then why not call BETA with your suspicions especially when all of the quakes started?"

"Thought we could take care of it ourselves. Did I mention that we're proud too?"

"All right, but why now. What's changed?"

"Two things." The sheriff replied. "One, I decided to investigate the allegations of corruption myself. Yesterday evening, I found a connection between the mayor's office, Deputy Reeves, and the Science Bureau dealing with the illegal use of some mines. And, I believe that these unauthorized activities may be causing the quakes shaking this whole planet to smithereens."

"And, the other reason?" prompted Gooseman.

The sheriff shoulders slumped and his face aged at Gooseman's question. "The other is Sarah Jamison. She is…was…"

"His daughter." Ranger Niko supplied gently from the doorway.

"Niko." Gooseman said in surprise and with some concern as he took in the additional scrapes and bruises mixed with streaks of grime decorating her face.

"I'm fine, Shane," Niko assured Gooseman verbally as she waved him off knowing her bedraggled appearance contradicted her statement. "Doc and I just had a little run in with a couple of walls at the infirmary." She walked up to him and glanced at the bloodstain on the lapel of his shirt. "Looks like you had the same kind of encounter."

"If you're going to get into an argument with falling rocks, it's a good idea to have a healing factor." Goose advised.

"That would have been nice," Niko muttered softly as she absentmindedly fingered a small knot behind her ear. "Where's the captain?"

"He officially declared a state of emergency for Arkansas2. He is currently meeting with the heads of science and communications to contain the situation and prepare for a full planetary evac. My turn, where's Doc?"

Niko smiled. "He decided to take it upon himself to get a relay going to BETA. He took Ranger Two into orbit and is trying to set up communications."

"Well, that takes care of your pressing matters," the sheriff stated. "So what about my corruption issue?"

Gooseman's eyes took a hard edge. "I think that problem worked itself out."

"How so?" the sheriff asked perplexed.

"Captain Foxx and I found an emergency escape elevator in the mayor's office during our surprise visit this morning after the fire." At mention of the fire, the sheriff's eyes moistened, but the lawman contained his emotions. "Seems that he got a phone call originating from the sheriff's office prior to our appointment. Enough time to eliminate all evidence of what was truly going on, but not enough time to clean it up."

"Anyway, we decided to follow-up and take the elevator down. It led to an abandoned mine with tunnels directly under the government offices. It also led to where Mayor Landry and Deputy Reeves were hiding out. We interrupted them. Reeves pulled a gun on the mayor and was demanding safe passage when the last quake hit. The tunnel collapsed. Zachary and I barely got out before the entire shaft caved in. The mayor and Reeves weren't so lucky."

"So, it's over?" Niko asked.

"Pretty much. All that is left now is to find the science technicians involved and of course deal with the dome instability and most likely the death of this colony."

"Sheriff, do you know what the unauthorized activity was in the mine?" Niko asked trying to fill in the last few pieces of the puzzle.

"Ma'am, I think I can answer that," came a quiet voice from the doorway that Niko had entered a few minutes ago. Everyone in the room turned to face Captain Foxx, and the man whom he was escorting and who had spoken, Mr. Sherman Andrews.

"I'm what you'd probably call middle management for Metallurgy Conglomerations." Andrews explained as he walked to the small gathering. "Several months ago, I noticed activity in one of the mines that had been closed off. After being ignored by the sheriff, I decided to look into it on my own."

"One evening in the mine, I saw Deputy Reeves and Mayor Landry speaking with some members of the Bureau of Science in one of the chambers of the mine in question. They were apparently arguing over a production line that included several costly and potentially dangerous materials. At the time, I couldn't tell what was being said. All I do know is the science technicians indicated that while the production line might be hazardous to the people working on it, it should not harm the settlement or the planet. Both the mayor and deputy agreed that the people working on this new line would be compensated with hazard pay and that they would be moving forward."

"Do you know what the production the line was?"

"At first, I thought they were going to mine the planet's core. But, as it turns out, the head of the Science Bureau, Beauregard Chambers, had discovered how to make starstones.

"Wait, did you say 'make starstones'?" Niko interrupted.

"Yes, ma'am."

"I'm not even sure if that is possible, but even if it is, as far as I know, there aren't any laws against making starstones," Captain Foxx stated.

"True," replied the sheriff. "To date, there is no law against making starstones. Though you'd have to be crazy to take the risk. But, no law would be broken unless you try to pawn simulated starstones off as the real thing. Which is what Landry and Reeves were planning to do. I found evidence of deals that had already been made with buyers, and credits that had already changed hands"

"But was Chambers successful?" Goose wanted to know.

"I'm not sure we'll ever know," answered Andrews. "Chambers was the first causality of the first planetary quake. From there, everything steamrolled out of control."

"To our current predicament," Zachary finished. "We're dealing with a jury-rigged grid system that is holding at thirteen percent, massive civilian casualties from the last quake, and a communications relay that is fried worse than pies at a Kirwin mating festival." Even without the imagery, the rangers could hear the frustration in the captain's voice.

"Well, I do have some good news for you." Niko supplied. "Doc is currently in Ranger Two trying to generate a relay to BETA. He thinks once he pulls outside of the black hole radiation, he can broadcast an emergency message."

"Now that is something!" Foxx smiled at the small victory. "Let's hope he has better luck than the rest of us have had. Now, it's time to get the word out to the public about the evacuation. A lot of people aren't going to want to go, so be prepared."

**0725 – Arkansas2 – Main Communications Room**

**152 – 2105**

"This is hopeless," Zachary moaned still tinkering with one of several electrical circuit boards in the satellite relay system littering the communication's floor. "Where's Doc when you need him?" At that moment, something started beeping. Zachary shot a look at Niko and Gooseman before he looked at his own wrist. Once again, Zachary's long quiet wrist communicator sounded.

"Captain Foxx," he announced to the wavering static filling the small video screen.

_Do you read me?_

It took all of Zachary's control not to jump for joy. "I read you loud and clear. What's the situation?"

_Well, you're not going to believe this, but I'm on the Laredo._

"The Laredo?" Zach wasn't sure he heard correctly.

_Yes, indeed!_ Even without video the rangers planet side could hear the smile in Doc's voice. _And, they brought company too. The Hidalgo is here as well. We will be making dock in 2 hours to start the evacuation._

"Doc, how did you manage all of that so quickly?"

_Wasn't me. You can thank our omniscient Commander Walsh for saving our bacon. There's a lot more too. Like for example, did you know that there are two black holes out here?_

"What!"

_Like I said, I've got a lot to tell you. See you in 2. Doc out._


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

**1400 – Aboard the Battle Cruiser Hidalgo**

**154 – 2105**

Niko crossed her arms as she watched the explosive lights fade from the surface of Arkansas2 where the atmospheric dome had once stood for more than four years protecting the mining settlement. In the instant that the grid had failed, the dome had shattered sending all of its gases toward the dominant black hole's accretion disk.

Niko shuddered involuntarily as she thought about all of the destruction. Her eyes misted as she remembered Sarah Jamison, whom she had somehow touched on a very intimate psychic level. A warm arm settled across her shoulders as she continued to look at the darkening planetoid, but Niko was still not persuaded to look away.

"Why so sad," Gooseman asked softly. "Everyone made it off the planet safely."

"Not everyone," Niko whispered still caught up in her reverie of Sarah Jamison's life and slowly leaned her head into the comfort of Shane's shoulder.

"I know, babe. But, we did our best. Sarah would be proud of both you and Doc. We did manage to save her daughter."

"I hope so." Niko's voice didn't sound convinced.

"I know so." Goose affirmed. "So, stop looking out the observation deck and have a cup of coffee with me. You can tell me what are you plan to do with all the extra leave time we accrued. Isn't that archeology exhibit still open in New Dallas?"

Niko looked one more time out the observation portal before turning to follow Shane. In the split second she turned, she caught a glimpse of her reflection. Her eyes reflected a hue of purple. She stopped and turned back around.

"Niko, coffee or tea? Niko?" Gooseman glanced over his shoulder to find Niko still staring out at the remnants of Arkansas2. Sighing, he went back to her and gently turned her away. Shane looked at her face and placed a gentle hand under her chin and tipped it up to him. There was an unreadable look in her blue green eyes. "Hey, you okay?"

"I thought…" Niko's voice trailed off.

"What?" Gooseman prompted.

"You didn't see it?" She hedged.

"See, what?" Gooseman was becoming exasperated. "What did you think you saw?"

Niko shook her head slightly and looked back at Shane. "Nevermind. It was nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yes," Niko finally smiled at him. "Don't you owe me a cup of coffee?" She asked and headed to their table where Zachary was still grilling Doc about the binary black hole phenomenon that had caused all of their trouble.

**2200 – Deep in Crown Territory**

**155 – 2105**

A lone form perched imperiously on a high backed chair in the center of a round room. A look of pure displeasure crossed the figure's countenance as another shape moved to the foot of the stairs leading to throne.

"Is it done?" The shadow asked once the being at the end of the stairs gestured in supplication.

"As you commanded."

The woman cackled with glee at the statement and her mouth drew into a cruel smile of delight. "And the colony?"

The lurid red light filtering into the room made the fur on the creature gleam psychedelically as he paused with reluctance. "It is lost."

"Lost!" The shrillness of her voice caused the catlike being to flinch.

"Yes. The mining colony was completely evacuated moments before their atmospheric dome failed. The increased seismic activity prevents further excavation of Arkansas2."

"Too bad." The Queen of the Crown purred still delighted that the first part of her plan had succeeded so well. "The creation of synthetic starstones was so promising. No matter, those can be developed elsewhere. But, the Galaxy Rangers…" the Queen's voice began to taper off in what sounded suspiciously like a giggle until a single thought occurred to the dark empress. "The psychic?"

"She has no idea. Your plan is a success."

"Of course it is, my dear, Nimrod!" The Queen declared self-righteously. "It was my plan!" She saw the creature glance around nervously and smiled wickedly at him. "Don't worry, Nimrod, you'll be paid for your service to the Crown as promised."

Nimrod's eyes shined greedily at the mention of payment. He had worked very hard on this mission. But, his greed turned to fear at the Queen's next words.

"Slaverlord!" she growled. "Make Mr. Nimrod comfortable! He will be staying with us indefinitely."

A ghostly white figure applied a garish purple hand to Nimrod's shoulder. "Wait! This isn't what we agreed to! What about my gold! What about my loyalty!" He struggled to free himself from the viselike grip of the slaverlord.

"I'm insuring your loyalty, Nimrod. You are my guest in my best dungeon suite reserved for only the most dedicated servants of the Crown. Quit your sniveling, or you can be the next test subject in my Psychocrypt!"

The threat of being completely subjugated worked its magic on the feline creature. He immediately stopped struggling with the guard and allowed himself to be taken away.

"Ah, the Rangers," the queen crooned softly and took out a faceted red gem to caress lightly. "Your Zachary will be joining you soon, Eliza. And, the little psychic will be my gambit to do it." Gales of malicious laughter peeled down the hall to the prisoner being led to the dungeon.

"What have I done?" Nimrod whispered fearfully as he crossed the threshold of the cell.

--Fin--


End file.
